


Where We Go From Here

by wanderer765



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Gen, Love, Relationship(s), Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-13
Updated: 2016-05-13
Packaged: 2018-06-08 05:57:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6841666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wanderer765/pseuds/wanderer765
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Where do Barry and Iris go from here? Set after 2x21.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Where We Go From Here

_The truth is Iris, I don't know what this is between us, or where we go from here. All I know is you're everything to me and you always have been._

It had been about a week since he'd told her that and they still hadn't defined what it was that was happening between them. There was an obvious shift in their relationship and in the way that they interacted, but neither of them had tried labeling it yet.

Things with Zoom had yet to be resolved, so they figured whether or not they were actually dating, wasn't the most important thing to figure out at the moment.

          ----------------------------

Iris walked into Star labs, her face lit up when she saw Barry sitting in one of the side rooms working away. Cisco was busy writing out a complicated equation on the board that stood in the middle of the room.

"Hey Iris!" Cisco exclaimed.

Barry lifted his gaze from where he sat and watched her walk into the room. He got up and leaned against the door frame.

"Hey Cisco! Getting anywhere with....whatever it is that you're doing?"

She walked and stood beside him and flashed him a bright smile.

"Oh ya know, it's coming along."

She patted him on the back.

"Well Godspeed my friend."

She felt a hand rest on her lower back and felt a body press into her side.

"Hey you," Barry said as he smiled down at her.

Iris' breath caught in her throat and a warm tingling made its way through her body. She smiled up at him and turned her body to hug him.

"Hey," she said softly.

They stayed like that for a moment and then slowly separated their bodies, while maintaining eye contact. Iris wanted nothing more than to greet him with a kiss, but she didn't want to rush him. He seemed adamant that they take their time, let whatever was happening between them blossom and grow organically. It was a true test of her patience, especially when he looked at her the way he was looking at her now, with his eyes so warm and green and lips slightly parted.

"Barry?" Cisco said looking between the two of them.

They awkwardly let go of each other.

"Could I get your help on something?"

"Ya of course, sorry."

Barry's cheeks were rosy with slight embarrassment.

"Umm I'm gonna head out, I just thought I'd swing by quickly, ya know say hi."

"You don't have to go if you don't want. I promise we enjoy your company," Barry told her.

Cisco nodded in agreement.

"No, no it's ok. I have some stuff of my own I need to get done. I'll see you later Bear?"

"Ya, sure...you bet."

He rubbed his hand on the back of his neck, while his other hand rested in his pocket. They smiled at each other and he watched her as she walked out.

"You guys are weird...and that's coming from me."

Barry rolled his eyes and nudged his friend before they got back to working on the equation.

 

        -----------------------------

  
Iris opened the door to Joe's house.

"Hello? Dad? Wally?"

She put her keys down and made her way into the living room as Joe rounded the corner.

"Hey baby girl. Wasn't expecting you, everything ok?"

"Ya, just finished up work for the evening and thought I'd swing by, see how you're doing."

Joe looked at her with a grin.

"What?" Iris said a little shyly.

"You sure you weren't coming here to talk about anything in particular?...Maybe a certain someone and your feelings for that certain someone?"

"Dad."

Iris rolled her eyes and sat on the couch.

"Have you guys talked about the state of your relationship?"

Iris looked down at her hands as she fidgeted.

"No, not really. I mean, we both know how the other one feels and we know we want to be together. I think Barry just wants to take things slowly, feel it out before we get serious...I guess? He has a lot going on I don't want to bother him with it right now, ya know?"

"Bother him? Honey. That boy has been waiting for this his whole life. Yes, maybe he's wanting to take things slow and I can understand that, but you guys have been playing this game for a while now. It doesn't have to be this big huge deal that you're making it. Just ask him if you can be his girlfriend. If anything, having something be certain right now when everything else is uncertain, would be a good thing for him...and he loves you so much. I think not having it defined is making you both a little crazy because you're unsure of how to act around each other. And as cute as that is...just take the plunge."

Iris smiled at Joe.

"How do you always know just what to say?"

"It's a gift, what can I say?"

Joe leaned over and pulled Iris in for a hug.

"I love you Iris and I'm so happy for you both. Really. It's been a long time coming."

She raised her eyebrows and nodded in agreement.

"I love you too dad."

"Alright, well I'm headed out. Going to pick up Wally and take him to dinner for a little father/son bonding. Let me know how it all goes."

He kissed her on the cheek and left her on the couch. Iris pulled out her phone and sent a text to Barry.

_What are you up to?_

**Hey, was just wrapping up at the lab and was gonna head home. What's up?**

_Just missing you. I'm at the house right now, so I'll see you in a few_ :)

**Sounds good!**

Iris sunk into the couch. She decided she was going to officially ask Barry to be her boyfriend when he got to the house and it was making her a little anxious.

**...and I miss you too :D**

Her heart fluttered at the thought of being able to touch him and kiss him whenever she wanted. For him to wrap his arms around her like he's always done, but have it mean something different and have it feel different.

She tried to figure out where she should be when he walked in. She knew she didn't have much time to mull it over since he would literally be there in a flash. She settled on sitting on the back of the couch so that she could easily walk to him when he opened the door. Just as she sat the door swung open.

"Hello," his smile was so warm and welcoming.

She stood up and walked over to him, determined to settle this once and for all. She held her arms out to hug him and he gladly opened his arms to her.

"Everything ok Iris? I mean I'll always take a hug from you, but you saw me just a few hours ago."

She squeezed him harder. She quickly leaned back taking his face in her hands and kissed him. It wasn't long and drawn out like she'd imagined their first kiss to be. It was just right and to the point. Not to say that it was short either. There was a lingering moment where their lips stayed connected, both too overwhelmed to move, until they softly broke apart.

"Iris."

His eyes slowly opened and he smiled at her in a way he never had before.

"Barry, I know there's a lot going on right now and you're being pulled in a hundred different directions. I can't even fathom the pressure you must feel. This is probably the last thing you want to have to worry about right now, because it feels so small in the grand scheme of things. But I was wondering...I mean, I want to be with you and it's probably selfish, but I don't want to wait any longer. All this uncertainty is making me crazy. I want to be able to walk in to Star labs and grab you for a kiss."

She felt so exposed right now, but confident in what she was saying.

"So what do you say? Can we do this thing already? Will you be my boyfriend Barry Allen?"

He brought her closer to him.

"Who would've thought that at this point _I_ would be the one dragging my feet?"

They shared a laugh.

"Nothing would make me happier Iris. I'm sorry to have kept you wondering. Truth is I'm scared. I don't want to mess this up, this is literally what I've always wanted. But if you're sure and saying you're ready, then what else is there to say?"

He leaned down and kissed her again, but this time they took their time. Teasing and biting and moaning, coaxing each other's mouths open. Nothing had ever felt so right. Barry broke the kiss and smiled at how he left her breathless.

"So I'm gonna have to cut this short Iris, sorry."

She looked at him with confusion.

"Well, I'm taking my girlfriend out for dinner tonight so I've gotta go freshen up. You understand, right?"

He winked at her and pecked her on the lips before rushing upstairs.

Iris stood there grinning with her arms wrapped around her torso and moved her hand to brush her fingers across her lips. She raised an eyebrow and turned, slowly making her way upstairs. She really was done with waiting.

 

 


End file.
